Vegas: TV Show Premiere Ratings

Dennis Quaid’s first TV series, Vegas, debuted on CBS last night. If the ratings aren’t big enough to keep the TV show from getting cancelled, will it also be his last?

Vegas follows a fourth generation rancher who’s asked to become the Sheriff of 1960s Las Vegas, much to the chagrin of a Chicago gangster and his business associates. The cast includes Quaid, Michael Chiklis, Jason O’Mara, Taylor Handley, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Airing opposite NBC’s Parenthood and the season premiere of Private Practice on ABC, Vegas attracted a 2.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 14.7 million total viewers. It was first in its timeslot in the demo and more than doubled the viewership of second place Private Practice’s viewership.

Compared to Unforgettable’s series debut a year earlier, CBS was down by 14% in the demo (vs a 2.9 rating) and down by 4% in viewers (vs 14.09 million).

While the viewership was very impressive, the demo was less so. If it can maintain these kinds of numbers, Vegas will surely be renewed. Unforgettable’s ratings dropped quite a bit and that show was ultimately cancelled — then resurrected for a short run during Summer 2013.

Disappointed to see that Vegas will not be on next Tuesday. I love this show! The actors are great; storyline fascinating, and the views of Las Vegas back in the “old days” enjoyable to see every week, along with the cars and fashions. I would be enormously disappointed in CBS if this show is not back on soon!

vegas is a wonderful show and the casting and writing is wonderful not to be compared to the acting. i definately enjoy this show more every week. i am also impressed that the look of the show is much more polished. congrad to the hairdresser.

To be true to its 1960/61 era the show should have been more careful about its
year cars……most noticeable was a 1964 Mustang. This never happened on
Mad Men. And it’s not a small complaint…….it’s a big thing.

I do really like Vegas and I live in Vegas. The two things that drive me crazy are: The show Fremont Street looks kinda like Fremont Street of 1960, but if you know Fremont the buildings are all just wrong. The cars and trucks almost without exception are just too new. This really drives us car people nuts. Also, there was one show with an Air Force OSI guy where his uniform was almost always wrong. Couldn’t tell if he was an officer or enlisted. If this show continues somebody needs to start paying attention to detail, right now they… Read more »

I will give the show a chance. I thought the sets and props weren’t quite right. Somebody else has already noticed the 1963 cars in 1960. Didn’t they show the Sahara being next to the Stardust? The Sahara was never been next to the Stardust. Also the sign they used for the Stardust was not what was used in 1960.